The present invention relates generally to the field of cleaning utensils, and more particularly, is directed to a dust mop of the type which includes improved yarn retaining construction and improved swivel operation.
Dust mops have long been available for cleaning in and about the home and in commerical and industrial buildings. Such mops characteristically employ a plurality of individual yarns which are interconnected in a manner to be secured to a head for applying over smooth or rough surfaces in a dry condition to thereby gather and retain dust as the mop yarns contact the dust particles. A handle is generally employed in connection with the dust head and it is the usual practice to provide a pivotal connection between the handle and the dust head to facilitate ease in operation.
Most commonly employed dust mop heads utilize a plurality of individual yarns which are first cut to size and then worked as necessary to join the yarns for dust mop purposes. In certain dust mop constructions, the yarns are sewn together on a double needle sewing machine utilizing as many as three rows of stiches and are then formed into a circle for forming the dust mop head. In other prior art constructions, fabrics, plastics, metal rings and the like are secured to the yarn strands by stitching, adhesives and mechanical fastening means to form the yarn strands into an acceptable dust mop unit. The manufacture of the prior art dust mops have included a preponderance of hand operations and the nature of the constructions has inhibited the use of automated fabrication practices.
While such prior art mop constructions have generally performed satisfactorily in service, in view of the time consuming hand operations required in the manufacture of such mops, the cost of manufacture has steadily risen, causing an attendant increase in the price of the finished mop construction to the ultimate consumer. Additionally, the usual pivotal handle connections have proved limited in application and have created certain operating difficulties, especially when attempting to reach areas of restricted access.